November 11th, 2008 by Learning Systems
The shortcomings of today’s eBook readers will need to be overcome in order to secure their place in the online courseware world. One feature that eBook readers will need is integrated animation and video. In regular books, photos are sometimes designated to the middle of the book, where they’re bunched together to save on reproduction costs. But in eBooks, including photos and videos shouldn’t be pricey. Creating more interactive eBook readers will be essential to keep up with increasingly engaging online courseware.
Suitable digital rights management and intellectual property protection are aspects that will also need to be ensured in eBook readers. Purdy suggests providing an open standard for eBook publishing that’s “cross-device, cross-publisher and includes DRM–all at reasonable prices…then people will gladly pay for the privilege of enjoying reading that really good story.” The rights of online courseware developers, authors and publishers will thus be protected.
November 11th, 2008 by Learning Systems
Say you come across an unfamiliar word in your online courseware, or a newspaper article, or a novel you’re reading. With online courseware, of course, you have the internet at your fingertips as a vocabulary resource. But maybe you’re commuting to work and passing your time on the train with a good book. Have you brought a pocket dictionary and/or thesaurus along for the ride? Probably not.
A convenient eBook reader capability that will, as Purdy suggests, make the readers “better” than a regular book is easy access to the dictionary and thesaurus. All you’ll have to do is highlight a word and the definition will pop up.
Another feature that eBook readers should possess is functionality on all networks, unlike cell phones, for example. Subscribers should be able to go to any book or online courseware material distributor and get the book they want.
November 11th, 2008 by Learning Systems
Another feature that will help move eBook readers into the future of online courseware is a high-contrast, high-resolution color display. Imagine: it’s a bright, sunny day and you’d like to do some reading by the pool. With a high quality eBook reader, you should be able to study your online courseware material both indoors and out.
Since online courseware material usually contains not only text but audio, photos and videos, a perfect eBook reader will have high storage capacity, 10 GB being a minimum and 50 GB or more being ideal. Another basic feature a reader should have is random access; you should be able to select a chapter or bookmark and be taken instantly to that place in any of the eBooks you’re reading.
November 11th, 2008 by Learning Systems
Will eBook readers become an integral part of the future of online courseware as well as traditional education systems? It all depends on the usability of the readers. According to Knowledge Center analyst J. Gerry Purdy, successful eBook readers will have to offer a number of features that make them preferable to the printed page. One important feature will be the size of an eBook reader. A good size would be a 6-inch by 8-inch diagonal display, and very thin like the iPod touch.
A successful eBook reader should also able to turn instantly on and off, unlike traditional online courseware material which is available to users only after booting up a computer, loading a website, etc. An ideal reader should also have a natural, sensible user interface that doesn’t require a user’s manual. Online courseware learners using eBook readers should ideally be able to pick up the reader, turn it on and start reading.
September 17th, 2008 by Learning Systems
Normally, learning content is owned and hosted by an author or institution. When the institution doesn’t own the learning content (e.g. educator’s notes and the learning object) it tends to mediate the content by way of, say, textbooks. Traditionally, it is expected that learners will seek out authors and institutions for the learning content they are interested in.
Maybe learners lack the impetus or knowledge to seek out or efficiently find what they need, or maybe it’s because institutions don’t know how to get out there in learners’ faces. In any case, too often institutions don’t offer their learning content to the appropriate audience. So maybe it’s institutions who more often ought to seek out and entice their learners.
